


Three Times Haruka Didn't Drown, And One Time He Almost Did

by Livruka



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Family, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gift Fic, M/M, Merfolk Ran & Ren, Merfolk Tachibanas, Mermaids, Merman Makoto, Romance, human haru
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 22:20:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15650070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Livruka/pseuds/Livruka
Summary: „Can I touch your legs?“ Ren asks, voice timid, but the way his hands clench around the water betrays his impatience. Haruka blinks, surprised, but nods in silent affirmation. Hana huffs around a reminder to be polite, but the twins are already swarming around Haruka and Makoto, and he watches as Ran turns to swipe her tail against one of his feet before she darts away, giggling. The feeling of the rubbery skin is something he's familiar with, but he still twitches when Ren bumps into his shin with his tail fin, face sinking in horror when he retreats, eyes glued to Haruka's feet.„How do you swim? Your flukes are so tiny,“ He sounds sincerely distressed, and Hana exhales a long stream of bubbles in an attempt not to laugh. Makoto is less composed. He cracks up snickering into Haruka's hair, unable to stop even when Ren shoots him a look of bewilderment. Haruka himself feels his lungs straining to exhale on a burst of laughter, but he doesn't have enough breath left to huff his amusement.





	Three Times Haruka Didn't Drown, And One Time He Almost Did

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starshi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starshi/gifts).



> Alright, this is a wild one.
> 
> I originally intended to write something for Mermay which is, obviously, way over. When I figured I couldn't get something done in time and decided I'd let it go, [Starshi](https://twitter.com/atsurai) asked me to write a mermen piece for them as a request. I suppose you could say this is a mix of a very _very_ belated Mermay fic and a gift fic.
> 
> Be that as it _(mer)may_ (I'm so sorry), please enjoy this little something!

The water is alive, Haruka always knew it. Once you dive in, it will immediately bare its fangs and attack. But there's nothing to fear.

The familiar tightness of his own tub is what keeps him sane on most days, but today is an _ocean day_. A _surrender yourself to the waves_ day.

When strong arms wrap around his neck and waist to pull him down, he doesn't resist. There's a brief moment of shock when his nose dips underneath the surface and all hope for a deep gulp of air is lost. He is not frightened. Instead, he allows the waves to take him in, slips into a universe so different and strange without a second thought. The hand tucked against the back of his neck cradles his head in a firm embrace, and he closes his eyes when lips find his mouth with practiced ease. Lips, much wider and bigger than his own, but _oh so soft_.

For a moment Haruka indulges in the gentle caresses of the taller boy, then he nibbles on the corners of his mouth until he feels lips parting in a rush of bubbles, and he deepens the kiss.

There's a startled gasp from the southern entrance of the cavern where kelp and coral cover the sharp rocks like a living, breathing carpet, leaves dipped into shades of cyan and green, stems glowing in bright orange where the sun cuts through the waves. A tail weaves through the strands of green, grey with flecks of white along the belly, and Haruka blinks, silenced by the surrounding water even as Makoto's face in front of him withdraws to glance around.

A boy, likely around their age albeit a little small, glares through the darkness, the red tint of his eyes a stark contrast with the pale skin of a young white shark. He seems intimidated, unsurprising in the face of a fully grown orca male. Haruka is almost inclined to wave at him when the boy's nostrils flare wide, eyes locked against Haru's feet that dangle weightlessly below, useless in the sea's deep end. There's a soft rasp to the boy's voice when he speaks up, apparently frightened but unwilling to depart without a word.

“Is he dead?“ He asks, and Haruka can see Makoto incline his head in surprise, tail fin swishing lazily as he holds both of them upright. It must be embarassing for him to be caught in the act, Haruka is sure of it, as none of the merfolk approve of cross-human relationships. “You didn't drown him, did you?“

There's a quiet hum in the surrounding water as Makoto's pectoral fins start trembling, a sign of distress Haruka has seen him display when first introducing him to his mother. Exasperated, Haruka uses the arm wrapped around his middle for leverage and pushes around Makoto's massive body. He can feel the other's cold skin crawling with goose bumps when their arms touch, and he smiles at him reassuringly.  
There is no way for him to speak down here, vocal chords unable to emit the frequencies necessary to produce more than a dull buzz around the stream of bubbles flushing from his mouth. His direct approach is enough to prove he's alive, though, and the shark cranes back in astonishment, nostrils flaring wide once more.

“Why is he-“ The boy interrupts himself to cast a long look at the two of them, Makoto's arms wrapped protectively around Haruka's much smaller body and the healthy flush on his cheeks betraying the amount of air Makoto has passed on through their kissing. The strangled sound wafting through the cavern is proof of the message carried over to him loud and clear. “Oh,“ is all the boy breathes, gills fluttering with the water rushing out of his system, then he retreats through the curtain of kelp, but he's muttering something about the unfairness of everybody but him getting a shot at romance until he's out of ear-shot.

-

The next time they meet is on a warm night under the full moon. Makoto emerges to pick him up near the beach, pectoral fins allowing for a little extra leverage across the sand as he maneuvers through the shallow water along the coast. His body is heavy, Haruka knows, and he hurries to drop his shirt and sneakers behind a rock, wading into the water until he can bury both hands in Makoto's hair. It's surprisingly soft, he thinks every time, and reminds him of satin sheets. Blissfully cool but incredibly smooth against his touch, it clings to Makoto's head as he lifts it out of the water, green eyes glowing in the pale moonlight.

They slide backwards until Makoto's tail can move freely and Haruka hums a sigh of relief when Makoto breathes more easily with his body's weight gone. The night paints the water pitch black, but there are bright spots dancing underneath where the leathery skin of Makoto's lower body is reflecting the light from his flanks and belly. He's sensitive there, Haruka knows, and when his feet brush along the sides, Makoto shudders with a throaty hum. Their lips meet easily, and they're both content with keeping their heads above the surface for the time being, but Makoto startles when Haruka gently slides one knee down his torso.

It's difficult to hook up with a merman, they both learned a couple weeks ago, and Haruka remembers it too well. To swim with the waves, to kiss in the sun-flooded water or to take small diving trips into Makoto's favorite kelp forests, none of their general activities are particularly tricky compared to what any ordinary couple might endure. Making out, however, has its troubles.  
Not only is Makoto big, his waist as wide as Haruka's shoulders when he's working out, but his anatomy is quite different from what Haruka would have expected. The first time they touched below their navels, he felt like he might faint from the idea of making out with this man alone.  
Merfolk have retractable genitals by default, their bellies smooth out into the tail fin without the human fashion of wearing their gender on display. Their body temperature is low, and it took Haruka several dives with Makoto to get used to the permanent state of mild hypothermia the cold water puts him in, unable to walk after the first two trips until he found out Makoto's chest can act as a mobile heater. The obvious advantage of keeping their temperature some degrees below a human's average may come in handy in their everyday life but gives Haruka a headache when he wonders how to even reach Makoto's most intimate parts as he keeps them hidden.

There's a scowl on Haruka's face when he puts it against Makoto's cheek, lips brushing against his jaw and eliciting a string of murmurs he can't understand. Makoto is as unable to speak above the surface as he is below, but it's easy enough to recognise the hum of pleasure in his tone. Waves are beating a soft rhythm against his back as Haruka kisses his way along Makoto's jawline, then down his throat. Making out may be difficult for them, but he's not ready to bench his desires just yet. Not until they've at least tried.  
Goose bumps ride up his lover's neck on every one of his exhales, and Haruka traces them with his tongue. The taste of salt and seaweed spikes against his taste buds, familiar but still wondrous to him. Makoto's hand slides up his back and comes to rest between his shoulder blades, a steady reminder that keeps him close, and Haruka is more than willing to comply. He slides both legs around Makoto's waist, the heels of his feet digging into the curve of Makoto's back while he nudges his nose against his chin from below in a silent request for him to tilt his head back. Makoto's hair dips back into the water, and the sigh he releases is blissful. His second arm slips around Haruka's backside, sparking the desire for him to get even closer when all that's separating them are his swimming trunks.

On the spur of the moment, he climbs out of Makoto's hold, bracing his legs against the other's abdominals, and the orca slides onto his back to let him sit on top, pectoral fins a solid back rest as he kicks off his shorts. For a moment he considers throwing them back to the beach but realizes the waves have carried them out too far for that. Makoto's green gaze is a steady weight between his legs, and Haruka swats at him with the wet fabric before letting go of it with a sigh. Makoto huffs a silent laugh, running both hands up and down his thighs. The moonlight illuminates his face, and Haruka gives into the urge to cup his face with both hands to kiss him again. Leaning forward, he feels the immediate pressure of cool skin against his much warmer body, and it's almost too much for him to take. Heat curls deep within his belly, but he doesn't dare act upon it. Not yet.

They float through the bay for the majority of the night, exchanging kisses and heated glances, but neither of them dares make the first move. The sun is slowly creeping above the horizon when Makoto sends a rueful look at the sky, pectoral fins beating against the surface impatiently. Haruka understands, he sees the concern in those bright eyes. It's too dangerous for somebody like Makoto to remain in plain sight when the sun rises. The sour taste of regret is threatening to spill, and Haruka leans forward on his elbows to steal another quick kiss from Makoto's mouth. Then he slips off the broad body. The cold meeting him from below is enough to make him shudder, and Makoto regards him with worry. He's warm, Haruka can tell from the flush reddening his cheeks and chest, and his eyes roam Makoto's face as the sunlight spills across the waves, touching upon their kiss-swollen lips and messy hair. Neither of them really wants to part ways, but they both know that their nature demands attention. Makoto is hungry, the loud rumble from his stomach speaks volumes of it, and Haruka needs to get back to his house to catch what little sleep he can get before his shift at the aquarium begins.

They say their goodbyes on the opposite side of the bay where Haruka can take the bus and Makoto doesn't risk getting too close to the docks. There are too many fishermen setting sail in the early morning, too many dockhands with curious eyes doing their jobs. Haruka can still feel Makoto's eyes on his back when he puts on the clothes he keeps hidden in the underbrush on this side of the beach, and he waves over his shoulder when he climbs up the embankment. A loud splash accompanies the wave of a large fluke that soon disappears into the deep.

-

When Haruka slides into the water on a cool afternoon, he doesn't expect to meet Makoto. It's too early and Makoto doesn't know to expect him, so he dives under by himself, swimming along the shoreline until something catches his eye. He freezes, feet treading the water underneath as slowly as possible while still keeping him upright.

A shark fin cuts through the waves and approaches in a wide arc, circling around twice before disappearing. It's a challenge to keep his breathing even and his movements slow, but the experience of dealing with merfolk has taught him patience in dealing with those who are more familiar with the deep sea than he is. He is not afraid of being mistaken for prey, but well aware of a shark's curiosity in any new encounters, and when the fin emerges a bare few meters ahead of him, he stills again. The lack of kicks from his legs lets him sink into the water, and when his eyes breach the surface, he finds himself face to face with the red-eyed boy they met weeks ago. The shock sends him out of his composed state, and he propels himself back with a couple powerful kicks, one of which connects with something solid. His foot is locked into a firm grip, and he tries to wrestle it from the boy but is distracted. A massive shadow approaches from below, and Haruka feels like his eyes might pop out of their sockets when a young man emerges from the darkness, the lower half of his body the enormous tail of a whale shark. In panic, he tries to kick his way out of the sharks' territory, because he's sure that's the only logical explanation for two of them mingling with him here: He must have crossed some sort of invisible line.

By this point his lungs start screaming for air, but the smaller shark is keeping his foot in an iron grip, glaring from where he's floating below the surface. The taller guy seems less aggressive, and Haruka's brain supplies helpfully that whale sharks are not known to meddle with humans very often. Instead, he's looking back and forth between the red-eyed boy and Haruka, who is pushing a painful exhale from his strained lungs, and finally raises an arm to point at him.

“I'm not sure if he'll survive if you don't let go soon, Rin. He's turning blue.“  
The white shark – Rin? - startles and stares at the whale shark guy before his piercing red gaze lands on Haruka. There's a beat of silence between them, then Rin lets go of his foot and Haruka uses the remaining oxygen to breach the surface with a yelp for air. His inhales are abrupt and too fast, he knows, but the situation is too surreal for him to calm down right now. With his ears still submerged, he can hear the quiet rasp he remembers from the white shark boy. It sounds agitated.

“Don't blame me, Sousuke, he kicked at me first! What's wrong with him? I just wanted to have a chat!“

There's a deep chuckle that must belong to the whale shark – Sousuke?  
“You scared him, Rin. He was not expecting a shark encounter, I'm sure.“

There's silence for a moment, then the whale shark emerges in front of Haruka. His hair is the color of dark driftwood, and he's got both hands raised in a placating manner. No word accompanies the gesture, but Haruka sees him lower his hands until he's pointing into the water. Hesitantly he nods, takes a deep breath and allows the waves to take him under again.  
Rin has assumed a more distant position and his arms are crossed defiantly, but he watches Haruka sink below the surface from wary eyes. The other guy – Sousuke, Haruka remembers – follows suit, his massive body half disappearing as it drops into the shadows below.

“Okay, listen,“ Sousuke drones, his voice carried over by the current, “I apologise on behalf of Rin here. We were passing by and he remembered you. Apparently you met... in a cave?“

Haruka feels his shoulders hunching, instincts screaming at him to try and escape, if at all possible, but the sharks don't seem hostile. Maybe, he considers, they were just as surprised to be met with his kicks as he was to encounter them in the first place.  
He inclines his head as a sign for Sousuke to go on, but the young man floats backwards, large tail beating against the water underneath until he's at a level with Rin. He raises a brow at the boy.

Rin's voice is annoyed, if only for his friend's cocky demeanor. “Okay, yeah, fine, I'm sorry. I just wanted to say Hi. You didn't have to kick me.“  
He flashes a wide grin, and Haru startles at the rows of sharp teeth. The message is clear enough for Rin, it seems, because he frowns and sighs. “Right. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten so close. You can't really see underwater when you're above, can you?“

Haruka shakes his head. He exhales on a sigh, bubbles rising to the surface, and is almost ready to forgive this odd exchange when the current seems to change. Waves roll over them with unexpected force, and Haruka wonders if a storm is brewing when somebody swipes him up into a tight embrace and carries him away from the sharks in a flurry of bubbles and sea foam. He turns over his shoulder and locks eyes with Makoto, fierce green glowing in the underwater darkness. He's gritting his teeth, Haruka realizes with a start, and raises him carefully when they breach the surface. Haruka takes a few deep breaths, heart racing. He isn't sure where Makoto came from, but the protective stance is very clear in how he carried him far along the coastline, arm resting where it's wrapped around Haruka's waist. Makoto's skin is uncharacteristically warm against his back, and his pectoral fins are beating against the water underneath.

“It's okay. I'm okay,“ He mouthes around deep gulps of air and dips his head back into the water to hear Makoto's reply. For a moment he's met with silence save for the rushing of water around them, then, finally, Makoto loosens his grip on Haruka's waist and allows him to turn around. Their eyes meet.

“The twins said they saw a pair of sharks patrolling along the shore, and that it seemed they were toying with a human. I was... Haruka, I was so scared.“ Makoto's voice cracks along the edges, and Haruka surges forward to wrap both arms around his neck. For the first time he's the one holding Makoto despite their difference in height and size, and Makoto lets his head fall against Haruka's shoulder. Distressed clicking sounds erupt from his throat in small bursts. The rapid-fire beating of Makoto's fluke keeps them well above the surface for a couple minutes, then the tension seems to leave his tall body, and they sink deeper into the water.

Haruka runs his hands along Makoto's cheeks, thumbs rubbing soothing circles into the heated skin.  
“It was the boy... the white shark who surprised us the other day. They didn't hurt me, Makoto. I'm fine.“ The next exhale shakes Makoto's whole body, pectoral fins quivering against Haruka's thighs. He brushes his knees along them until their movements calm down.

When they circle back to where they met the sharks, they are gone. Makoto grimaces around the confession that he might have overreacted and would have liked to apologise, but there is no helping it. He takes Haruka back to the beach, and only when they're ready to depart does Haruka remember something Makoto said earlier.

“You said the twins had seen us... do you have siblings?“  
In all their time together Haruka never got a chance to meet Makoto's family, and even though he knew they were close, Makoto never elaborated on its members.  
Makoto rubs a hand along his neck and nods with a lopsided smile. For a moment Haruka isn't sure whether to be offended he hasn't heard of them yet, but Makoto's next words make him backpedal.

“They're only six, hardly more than calves. Mom keeps them hidden whenever possible, they're very vulnerable.“

-

Vulnerable is not the first word that comes to mind when Makoto finally introduces Haruka to his siblings some days after their encounter with the sharks.

Their faces are young, all round cheeks and soft features, hair a wild rush of light brown in their play with a sea turtle, but their lower bodies are already almost as long as Haruka's legs. In a whirl of black and white, tails beating against the dark masses of water underneath, they chase the black turtle until it crosses in front of where he's floating, then they catch sight of the human in their middle and freeze. The girl's eyes are bright like Makoto's, and they widen comically when she takes in Haruka's body – very human, he's painfully aware of that – before darting forward to approach.

Makoto's hand shoots out to stop her from slamming into them in a flurry of laughter and excitement, but Haruka feels the impact where the water is in turmoil, waves crashing into him from the strong beating of her tail.

„Ran, I thought I told you not to stray so far!“ A female voice cuts through the water behind the boy who is still hovering in the background, apparently hesitant to get any closer, and he pushes into the touch of a hand that squeezes his shoulder, followed by the massive body of a woman who could only be their mother. Much taller than the twins, but slighter and more delicate in shape than Makoto, she brushes past the boy with a reassuring nod, large tail beating a much slower rhythm than the twins' agitated swishing. The whole ocean feels like it's in motion when Makoto, too, breaks away from Haruka. He meets the woman in a quick embrace that is interrupted by Ran's insistent nudges for attention, then they all turn to look at Haruka.

Nerves make him exhale a small stream of bubbles, legs working to keep him upright, and Makoto returns to his side to steady him with one arm. His smile is brighter than white sand on a sunny day when he introduces his family.  
„Haru, this is my mom, and those,“ He shifts to point at the twins, „Those are Ran and Ren.“

The twin boy is first to react this time, brown eyes locking on Haruka's legs before darting away in clear embarassment as he leans forward in an awkward bow. His sister is wobbling with the current, tail beating an impatient pattern into the water. She exchanges a quick look with her mother, who nods her approval, before approaching again, slower this time, and circling around Haruka. A giggle rises through the stream of bubbles she exhales.  
„He's really small,“ She says, but her face splits open with excitement when she pops into view before him, hovering at eye level. It's Haruka's first chance to get a closer look at her, and he's surprised to find that she's more chubby than she appeared from afar. Her cheeks are plump, jaw still round like a human child's, and her tail is pudgy where Makoto's is long and slim.

There's a quiet huff, then the trio's mother cuts around the twins, wrapping an arm around Ran's middle to pull her out of Haruka's personal space. He's immediately grateful to her.

„I apologize for their behaviour. They're really excited to meet a human,“ She says, and Haruka is surprised by the gracious bow she offers to him. There's a sense of sincere delight in the way she eyes him before offering a hand that Haruka takes without hesitation. „It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Hana. Makoto has been going on and on about you for months.“ The arm around Haruka shifts when Makoto mutters a stream of flustered excuses, but Haruka feels himself smiling through a small stream of bubbles.  
His lungs are tightening around the last bit of air he's holding and he knows he'll have to surface sooner rather than later, but he's not willing to break away from the cordial introduction just yet. Still smiling, he bows his head and squeezes Hana's hand. It's bigger than his and just as cold as Makoto's.

Hana holds his hand for a long moment before letting go, eyes locking onto his chest that is heaving in short bursts whenever his instincts tell him to breathe but he clenches down on them.

„You should really get some air,“ Her voice is mildly reproachful, and Haruka has to bite back a smile at how much than reminds him of his own mother. The twins peek past their mother to catch a glance of him as well, and Ren looks less fearful than he did a moment ago. 

„Can I touch your legs?“ Ren asks, voice timid, but the way his hands clench around the water betrays his impatience. Haruka blinks, surprised, but nods in silent affirmation. Hana huffs around a reminder to be polite, but the twins are already swarming around Haruka and Makoto, and he watches as Ran turns to swipe her tail against one of his feet before she darts away, giggling. The feeling of the rubbery skin is something he's familiar with, but he still twitches when Ren bumps into his shin with his fluke, face sinking in horror when he retreats, eyes glued to Haruka's feet.

„How do you swim? Your flukes are so tiny,“ He sounds sincerely distressed, and Hana exhales a long stream of bubbles in an attempt not to laugh. Makoto is less composed. He cracks up snickering into Haruka's hair, unable to stop even when Ren shoots him a look of bewilderment. Haruka himself feels his lungs straining to exhale on a burst of laughter, but he doesn't have enough breath left to huff his amusement.

The gentle pressure around his middle tells him that Makoto has caught onto his struggle and is pulling him up, tail working to maneuver both of them to the surface. They emerge together, and Haruka is glad that the sun is sinking already, because it's already incredibly bright compared to the underwater realm that he has to blink several times before he can keep his eyes open. Strong hands frame Haruka as he gulps down the air his lungs are demanding so desperately. It's unfair, he thinks, that merfolk can keep their breath so much longer than he can, and he voices his offense, making Makoto chuckle.

Hana and the twins emerge on one side, seeking cover along the rock formations of a looming cliff. Taking another deep breath, Haruka finally feels able to reply to Ren's concern, explaining that his flukes are called feet and that they serve him well on wand. Ren still doesn't seem convinced they're an appropriate replacement for an actual tail, but he watches as Haruka shifts from Makoto's hold and swims over to display his ability to stay afloat just fine, and his face lights up at that.

They stay above the surface for a while. Haruka watches as the twins play in the waves like human children might in the shallow water. Ran splashes Ren until he dips below and drags her under, and they both reemerge laughing. Hana keeps a watchful eye on her children, but her gaze keeps trailing back to Makoto, and Haruka thinks he catches her nodding gently when Makoto whistles faintly behind him. The water shifts as Makoto circles both arms around Haruka's chest as if in response to her approval, body pressing into him from behind. For a second he feels like he might suffocate from the pressure alone, then Makoto's arms loosen and his face drops to Haruka's shoulder, nose brushing against his neck. His face feels hot against Haruka's cold skin, and he wonders briefly if he missed something about this odd exchange, but Hana dives under in a spray of water and foam, following the twins back into the deep.

Makoto remains snuggled into Haruka's shoulder, tail swishing slowly to keep them above the surface, and they listen to the rushing of the waves and the cries of the gulls overhead.

When Haru tries to slip from Makoto's embrace to follow his family under again, Makoto stops him with a faint blush on his cheeks. Head almost submerged in the waves, Haruka can hear him clicking nervously, and he frowns. It's unusual for Makoto to get embarassed like this, and Haruka has only heard him reverting to merfolk sounds once before: when he felt Haruka was being threatened by the sharks some days ago. Curious, he tilts his head to one side in an obvious invitation for Makoto to speak his mind.

“Haru,“ Makoto's pectoral fins beat a nervous rhythm against Haruka's hips, and he dips his head deeper into the water to listen, “Do you think they're weird?“

The question catches him off guard, eyes narrowing to stare down at Makoto, but the merman keeps his face carefully averted. When Makoto makes no move to lift his head above the surface so Haruka can speak, he kicks him lightly to draw his attention. A decisive shake of his head displays the No his voice can't form beneath the surface, and Makoto's eyes brighten a little. He drives his tail through the water to break the surface again, and this time it's him who cocks his head to one side in a silent request to elaborate.

“Why would I think they're weird?“ Makoto's hand finds his cheek, and Haruka leans into his palm, reveling in the smooth texture. „They're wonderful. I was a little afraid your mom wouldn't like me because... well, I'm not like you. The twins are very curious, but they're kids. I don't take offense at their questions.“ Makoto looks so relieved at his reply that Haruka snorts a laugh. “What, did you think I'd be mad at them? Listen, they're kids. Chubby kids. How could I not like them?“  
Makoto cracks a smile at him and swipes a hand down his own body, question clear in the gesture: Am I chubby, too?

Haruka rolls his eyes at him, “Are you really asking me that? No, you're just fine. They're fine too. It's okay for kids their age to be a little... well, you know. They're blubber babies.“  
He can watch Makoto mouthing the words after him: _blubber babies_. Then his face splits open with mirth, eyes crinkling, and he dives forward to find Haruka's lips with his own. The kiss tastes like salt and tang, and Haruka hums against Makoto's mouth until they have to break apart to draw a quick breath.

“If it makes you kiss me, I'll say it again,“ He says and hooks a leg around Makoto's waist, “They're blubber babies, and they're wonderful.“  
Makoto's lips collide with Haruka's before he can take another breath, and he laughs into the kiss even as Makoto pulls him under again. He repeats the words a few times, and even though the current carries his voice away, Makoto finds his mouth again and again, affectionate clicking sounds filtering through the water as they sink deeper.

Hana awaits them with the twins who proudly present their prey: A large tuna, wedged between the two of them. They must have hunted it down while their brother was remaining above the surface, and Haruka feels his eyes widening when Hana runs a hand along the fish's side and says, “Makoto told us you're a good cook. We only ever eat them raw, but you could take a piece home, if you'd like?“

He doesn't have it in him to object. 

The twins insist on cutting the fish themselves, running the sharp edges of a knife made of an oyster shell along its sides until they can retrieve a piece large enough to last Haruka for the next four days at least.  
They see Haruka off near the western end of the bay where the twins can float in the shadow of an overhanging rock, effectively hiding them from curious eyes or patrolling boats from the coastguard. Hana squeezes his hand again, expression open and unguarded as her green eyes roam Haruka's face once more. She nods to Makoto, very obviously this time, and Haruka is sure he's missing an aspect of their interaction by now. When he swims over to Makoto who is waiting to take him back to the beach, the twins wave eagerly after him, and he turns twice to wave back until their heads disappear beneath the surface, closely followed by their mother.

-

Only when Makoto takes him back to the shore, a large chunk from the tuna's flank in tow, does Haruka start wondering if it's a common thing among merfolk to share their meals. He asks Makoto about it and feels his arm tightening around his middle. The pale moonlight reflects off the surface and dips Makoto's face in bright silver, but the glow doesn't hide the red tint coloring his cheeks. For a moment Haruka stares, then he tugs on Makoto's arm until the other gives in and sinks deeper into the water, momentarily halting their progress towards the coast to submerge his head.  
It takes Haruka several nudges and an offended pout to get him to talk, and the flush seems to deepen.

“We don't... it's not a common thing to do. We offer food to family and mates only.“ His embarassment is evident in the way Makoto's words are mixing with a nervous staccato of clicks, fingers running up Haruka's side in a shaky line.  
Haruka feels his mouth falling open, and the salt tingles on his tongue so he closes his jaw, exhaling on a stream of bubbles to get rid of the water. Hesitantly he takes Makoto's hand, fingers slipping into the spaces between the other's. He's struggling to find the right question to ask, struggling to remember how to form words in the first place.

Makoto seems to sense his conflicting emotions, and he slides into the open space where hope clashes with apprehension with an easy smile. He raises their hands and presses his lips against Haruka's knuckles, kelp green eyes glowing in the moonlit water.

“Nobody expects anything from you, Haru, it's alright. It's an offer, one that I wanted to make for weeks, but I didn't know if my family would approve until today.“ At Haruka's shaky exhale, he quirks a sheepish smile. “Sorry, maybe I should have talked to you about this before introducing you to them.“ Makoto's breath is warm where it brushes against Haruka's fingers, and he leans in to rest his forehead against their linked hands.  
“I know we're still young and you may not want to make these decisions yet, but I want you to know that you have a place down here. We have a spot for you in our family, if you want it.“

There's so much consideration to this words that it almost hides the underlying promise in Makoto's offer, but Haruka grasps it anyway. The shock hits him like a tsunami.  
The rest of Haruka's breath leaves him in a rush, and he gasps for air on instict, gulping down water instead. A flurry of bubbles envelops him as he realizes he's still underwater, and he presses a hand to his mouth in panic, legs working frantically to push him upwards, but he's swept up in a large pair of arms before he can really think about what he's doing. Makoto lifts him out of the water with ease, water roiling around them where the orca's tail works to keep their weight upright.  
For a moment Haruka coughs and splutters, lungs heaving in an attempt to replace the salt water with air again, and he recognizes the soothing tone in Makoto's quiet whistling. When his breathing evens out, Makoto lowers him into the water and wraps him in both arms, creating a safe space where he can calm down until Haruka turns over his shoulder to look at him.

The blush is gone, and Makoto's features have sunk into a concerned grimace. Haruka frames his face with both hands and lets his forehead drop to connect with Makoto's, nose brushing against the other's, and he smiles at the way their faces don't fit together entirely. Makoto's is too tall, his head too long and wide in comparison to Haruka's, but they've always managed to make it work. Makoto has come to the conclusion that they can make this work permanently, he realizes now, and his breath leaves him again, this time on a gust of laughter. His chest feels light despite the strain it just endured, cool breeze tickling his neck where it's exposed, and he drops further to push his face into the juncture of shoulder and neck where Makoto is warm and he can hear his pulse beating strong and fast.

“Yes,“ He finally whispers over the splashing sounds of small waves lapping at their backs, “I definitely want to be a part of this.“ Makoto's embrace tightens momentarily, then he lets go far enough to draw back and stare at Haruka, lower lip trembling and eyes bright. They surge together in a rush of breaths and water, waves spraying them with foam and moonlight.  
Their hands find each other's body, and Makoto hikes Haruka's leg up his waist to pull him closer. Haruka complies easily, hips shifting against Makoto's belly as he cups his cheek and breathes a laugh behind his ear.

“I need to practice freediving. If I can't have the lungs of an orca, I'll learn to hold my breath as long as one.“

Makoto huffs quietly, fingers combing gentle patterns through Haruka's hair. They slide together easily, bodies finding each other despite their differences, smiles tucked into each other's necks.

Neither of them pays attention to the tuna as it is sinking below, grip on it forgotten, and two shark-tailed men dart by in the darkness of the water, dinner secured between the smaller one's rows of sharp teeth as he grins back at his companion.

Haruka only realizes he didn't take the fish along when Makoto alerts him to it, and neither of them mind it much. From a small rock formation near the bay he watches as Makoto dives under to hunt a swarm of mackerel, and he takes an armful of horse mackerel to the shore to fry them above a small bonfire they fuel with driftwood and dried tang.  
They share the mackerel in small bites, and Haruka watches Makoto's face light up at the taste of grilled fish. It's a surreal experience, he thinks as he watches the silvery light play across Makoto's features, to have dinner out here, but he likes it this way. Makoto promises to take some of the mackerel home for the twins and his mother, and they part ways in the shadows of the rocky cliff.

At the top of the rock face, Haruka trails his lover's movements with his eyes until he disappears underneath the glistening surface, fluke lifting out of the water to wave at him one last time, then he turns to pick up his shoes and walk home. It's not his only home anymore, he thinks and smiles to himself. And somehow that thought eases the parting.


End file.
